Planning Your Program
Step One: Initial Contact
Timeline
4 months to 1 year before start of program
Your Planning
- Contact PSU’s ISP office to request information
- Provide as much information as possible about program content
- Discuss educational needs, program dates, desired cost, etc.
- Review program proposal
ISP’s Planning
- Discuss education needs and ideas with client
- Answer questions
- Provide examples of similar programs
- Provide draft of program description, calendar, and cost
- Choose program dates
- Assign a program coordinator
- Check on availability of housing
- Consult with PSU academic departments (if necessary)
Step Two: Develop Program
Timeline
2-6 months before start of program
Your Planning
- Approve program proposal
- Develop marketing, recruiting, and payment timeline
- Hold information meeting(s) for interested participants
- Begin recruiting
- Contact homestay provider organization
ISP’s Planning
- Develop schedule options and consult with client
- Identify academic lead instructor
- Develop curriculum
- Finalize housing
- Plan schedule
- Begin scheduling instructors, speakers, field trips, classrooms, computer labs, etc.
Step Three: Finalize Program
Timeline
1-4 months before start of program
Your Planning
- Approve/finalize program schedule, content and cost
- Identify program group leaders
- Participants complete application forms
- Participants pay deposit
- Reserve group airplane tickets
- Participants apply for passports and visas
- Purchase medical insurance coverage
- Sign Contract or “Letter of agreement”
- Make program deposit payment via wire transfer
- Send application forms to PSU
- Plan pre-departure orientation meetings
- Send student information/application to homestay provider
- Sign contract with homestay provider
- Receive homestay matching lists/host family information
PSU’s Planning
- Finalize schedule and budget
- Hire instructors and program assistant staff
- Confirm all reservations
- Send pre-departure information to client
- Issue and mail I-20s or visa letter, if needed
Step Four: Implement Program
Timeline
Program begins
Your Planning
- Pay balance of program cost via wire transfer
- Participants depart for PSU
- Group arrives at Portland State University
- Program begins
PSU’s Planning
- Participants arrive in Portland
- Program begins
- Orientation to PSU Portland
- Classes begin
Step Five: Follow Up
Timeline
End of program and post program
Your Planning
- Students return home
- Review program evaluation(s)
- Begin discussions for next year’s program
PSU’s Planning
- Participants complete program evaluation forms
- End of program ceremony
- Participants receive certificates of completion
- Students depart
- Evaluations and grade reports sent to client